Living with Lung Cancer
Living with Lung Cancer
When living with lung cancer, you need to do all you can to stay strong. Try to maintain your weight by eating plenty of healthy food. And try to keep active. Being active helps improve both your physical and mental health. Taking these steps can also help limit certain side effects of your treatment.
Eating enough food
Try to maintain your weight. If you’re having trouble keeping weight on, eat foods that are high in protein and calories. These include nuts, lean red meat, fish, or chicken. Ice cream, peanut butter, and eggs are good choices, too. Try eating many small meals daily rather than 3 big meals. And talk with your healthcare provider if you’ve lost your appetite. In some cases, your healthcare provider may prescribe medicine that can help you feel like eating again.
Staying active
Physical activity is good for both your body and mind. It can help you sleep better, boost your energy, and enjoy a sense of well-being. Staying active also reduces side effects such as nausea and extreme tiredness. Try to be active only when you feel energetic and rested. Just be careful not to overdo it. Choose light or moderate activities. These include stretching, walking, swimming, or bicycling.
Learning more about your illness can help you be more in control of your treatment. To find out more about lung cancer, contact the following:
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Lung Cancer Alliance 800-298-2436 www.lungcanceralliance.org
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American Cancer Society 800-227-2345 www.cancer.org
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American Lung Association 800-586-4872 lung.org
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National Cancer Institute 800-422-6237 www.cancer.gov
Updated:  
March 15, 2019
Reviewed By:  
Gersten, Todd, MD,Stump-Sutliff, Kim, RN, MSN, AOCNS